Effects of Agarictus Sylvaticus Mushrooms on the Hematopoietic System of Rats With Ascitic Walket-256 Tumor

Abstract

Background: Dietary supplementation with Agaricus sylvaticus extract has been used for adjuvant treatment of cancer patients, with improvement in prognosis. Objective: We evaluated the effect of Agaricus sylvaticus extract on the hematopoietic system of Wistar rats previously inoculated with ascitic Walker 256 tumors. Methods: The experiment was double-blind, placebo-controlled, with random sampling. Young male rats (N=26) were divided into two groups (treatment, n=23, and placebo, n=23). The experimental group received 50mg/kg/day of Agaricus sylvaticus (Tapiraí, SP, Brazil) water extract by gavage, in two daily administrations, until their death (8th day). Results: The treatment and control groups showed, respectively: erythrocyte count 4.11 ± 1.2 versus 3.59±1.9 X 106/mm3, (p=0.03); hematocrit 22.82±1.6% versus 20.15 ± 1.5%, (p=0.02), and hemoglobin 10.06 ± 1.6 g/100ml versus 9.65 ± 1.6 g/100ml, (p=0.05). Leukocyte count was higher in the treated group (10.96 ± 1.8 versus 7.39 ± 1.4 x 103/mm3, p=0.03), as were lymphocytes (2.46 ± 0.7 versus 1.54 ± 0.9 x 103/mm3, p=0.03) and neutrophils (1.73 ± 1.2 versus 1.3 ± 0.5 x 103/mm3, p=0.03). Conclusion: The findings suggest that administration of Agaricus sylvaticus extract benefited the hematopoietic and immune systems of rats with Walker 256 tumor.